Process of preparing carbid of calcium.



Miran stares Patented June 16, 1998.

harsher Orrrcsr EDGAR 1*. PRICE, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO UNION JARBIDE COMPANY, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW? YORK, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 731,070, dated June 18, 1903. Application filed April 13. 1901. Serial No. 55,667. (No specimens.)

To all whom '1' may concern:

lie it known that I, EDGAR F. PRICE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Niagara Falls, in the county of Niagara and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Preparation of Carbid of Calcium, of which the following is a specification.

Oarbid of calcium when very finely subdi- IO vided is not desirable, and such finely-divided calcium ear-bid results from screeuin breaking, and otherwise preparing pigs of calcium car-bid.

Objects of the present invention are to pro vide for getting such finely-divided, as Well as comparatively coarsely-divided, calcium car-bid into pieces of marketable size; and, stated in general terms, the invention comprises the method which consists in mixing 2o pulverized or granulated carbid of calcium with powdered or coniuiinui'cd bituminous coal and then subjecting the mixture to a high temperature in. a retort, so as to drive off the volatile gases and make the mass coherent.

In practicing the invention pulverized or granulated car-bid of calcium is mixed with pulverized or broken bituminous coal. From live to twenty-five per cent., more or less, by

weight, of pulverized bituminous coal is used, according to the size of the pieces of Cili'bld of calcium. The iinelydivided calcium carand requires less of. the divided bituminous coal than does the coarser calcium earbid.

The coinininuted or pulverized bituminous coal and caroid of calcium are stirred together to dry, and the mass is then retorted, with the result that hydrocarbon and other volatile matter is driven oil, and the bituminous 40 coal is converted into coke, which holds the carbid ofi calcium and forms a hard solid substance. For this purpose the mass may be placed in and subjected to the action of a heated retort, similar to those used. in making conl gas, and provided with an odtake, 4.5 through which the volatile matter can be driven elf. The product of the retort is a hard mass consisting of calcium carbid and coke, the latter serving to bind the mass into a homogeneous body capable when rnois-- 5o toned of yielding acetylene of practically the same qualities as that generated from a large lump of carbid, because the coke simply remains with the lime, and therefore the carbid generates acetylene, which is not in any way affected or adulterated by the bituminous coke, which gives oil practically no gas under the described treatment. lhese masses, which are the product of the retorts, may be crushed to commercial sizes foruse in gen- 6c erators in the usual way.

It will be obvious to thoseskilled in the art to which the invention appertains that modifications may be made in details without departing from the spirit thereof; but, i

Having thus described the nature and ob jects of the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, iii-- The herein-described process which consists in mixing coniininuted or granulated cal- .70 ciuin carbid and comminuted or powdered bituzninous coal, retorting the mass to drive elf volatile matter and convert the bituminous coal into bituminous coke and produce the,

coherent mass or body, and then crushing the '15 body or mass into pieces of c'oxfiinorcial size, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my-namo in the presence of two Wit 

